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The Colorado Rockies and “He wants to be here” 2.0

Paul DePodesta sits in the Purple Row at Coors Field.
Paul DePodesta sits in the Purple Row at Coors Field. | Colorado Rockies

It became a punchline for Colorado Rockies fans.

“That’s the main thing, he wants to be here and be part of the turnaround,” manager Bud Black said of Germán Márquez in 2023 when the RHP signed a two-year, $20 million deal.

Here’s Charlie Blackmon in 2023: “The Rockies want me to be here. Obviously, I want to be here.”

In October 2024 when campaigning for a contract extension, Black told Patrick Saunders, “I’m invested in this team and this organization and I want to be part of the solution to see this through.”

I could go on, but you get the idea. Organizational loyalty was a valued commodity.

Given that Dick Monfort was famous for being loyal to a fault, statements like these suggested fealty on the part of players and staff. This was probably, in part, an effort to ensure no more Arenado-esque defections — because if one thing became clear in 2020 and 2021, Nolan Arenado definitely did not want to be there.

Fans questioned what mattered most to the Rockies as they continued to promote from within and sign marginal free agents: baseball talent and winning or a commitment to the Rockies at all costs?

The Rockies needed three consecutive 100-loss seasons to make significant changes, but the rebuild began in earnest last November with the hiring of president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes.

Here’s the interesting thing: “He wants to be here” is back, but it has a different meaning for DePodesta et al.

Warren Schaeffer speaks at Rockies Fest

This time, wanting to be in Denver isn’t about loyalty or comfort: It’s about embracing challenge and being uncomfortable.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to speak with pitching coach Alon Leichman. When I asked why he signed on to solve one of the most perplexing problems in baseball, he said, “I think in baseball, especially in the pitching world, you have kind of two schools of thought: either stay away from Denver, or you want the challenge. So I’m when an opportunity was given to me, I definitely wanted to run with it and see what we could do.”

The Rockies are clear that they want players and staff in the latter category, those who want to be here and embrace the challenge.

Consider, DePodesta’s comments on Michael Lorenzen signing with the Rockies:

“He ran toward this challenge. Michael actively wanted to pitch here. He’s done a lot of different things in his career – he was an outfielder, he’s been a reliever, he’s been a starting pitcher. I don’t think he’s afraid of anything. He’s also got some history with some of our staff members, so I think there was some appeal there as well.”

Lorenzen has said the same thing:

“It feels like there’s a lot of new information to be learned, and that’s kind of right up my alley. I enjoy problem solving. Failure is going to happen; trials are going to happen; you’re going to get your teeth kicked in. But it’s the problem solving and how to make the adjustments that I really enjoy. And Colorado, I feel like, presents that opportunity.”

Here’s what Josh Byrnes, who left the best organization in baseball to join the Rockies, said when asked what made him decide to come to Denver:

The challenge. I think it’s a great challenge. I loved every day with the Dodgers. I mean, part of it, even leaving the Dodgers is like, never complacent about anything, always pushing, pushing, pushing, to be the best version of the Dodgers. So I think it’s totally different here, right? 119 losses. Altitude. There’s a lot, and never going to be that kind of payroll. So it’s going to be a different puzzle, but very exciting: working with Paul again; knowing a lot of people in the organization; knowing the city. So if I were to leave the Dodgers, it had to be like the right people and the right challenge. You know, it wasn’t an easy decision, but I think I’m very glad I did it, and I can feel the challenge.

I want to quote one more player, this time Hunter Goodman:

Last year, we had a super young team — me included. And I think we had a lot of guys, at least from watching games or being in the clubhouse, I think we had a lot of people that were happy to be here.

When I first got called up, it’s like, you’re just happy to be here, and you can’t play like that.

You’ve got to walk on the field and be like, “We’re the best team. I’m the best player on the field.” You got to walk on the field with a different level of confidence.

And I think there were some series and some games last year where you’re walking onto the field as a team looking around, and maybe guys aren’t super confident. Guys aren’t. They’re just happy to be there. So I think bringing a different mentality to the game would be a big step in the right direction.

If a player is “just happy to be there,” then taking on a challenge doesn’t really enter the equation.

And that’s where “He wants to be here” 2.0 comes in.

DePodesta, Byrnes, and Leichman are building a staff and a team that invites problem solving. In other words, this year, it’s not enough to be happy to be there: A player has to embrace the challenge.

In an early morning Rockies Fest panel with season ticket holders, Byrnes stressed that they were looking for players with “curiosity” and “problem solving” skills, the kinds of skills that help players embrace, and not avoid, challenges. In other words, on-field skills aren’t enough. There’s an attitudinal component as well.

And, just to be clear, this attitude isn’t just about players. Every member of DePodesta’s staff I spoke with wanted the challenge. DePodesta has built a team of young and innovative minds willing to model for players the kind of experimentation, tenacity, and courage they will need for a successful rebuild.

After all, a rebuild isn’t just about players; rather, it’s redoing the philosophy and infrastructure of an entire organization.

DePodesta has his staff, a philosophy, and a plan. In a couple of weeks, we can start watching the implementation.

In new role within Rockies’ revamped front office, Monfort knows much work remains | MLB.com

Last week, Thomas Harding spoke with Walker Monfort about all the changes underway throughout the Rockies organization.

Every MLB team’s top prospect at each position in 2026 | Bleacher Report

Joel Reuter provides a look at what may be the Rockies’ future roster.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

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State of the Yankees’ System: Outfield

Oct 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run in the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game three of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Yankees’ outfield is loaded with star power on both sides of the ball, as any group led by Aaron Judge should be. The generational slugger won his third AL MVP award in 2025 after yet another season that had to be seen to be believed: .331/.457/.688 (a career-high in batting average), 53 home runs, 114 RBI, .357 ISO, 18.3/23.6 BB/K%. For the third time in four years, Judge posted a wRC+ over 200 (206 in 2022, 220 in 2024, 204 in 2025), meaning he was more than twice as valuable as a league-average hitter.

Before the 2025 season, the Yankees acquired Cody Bellinger from the Cubs in exchange for Cody Poteet in a salary dump move for Chicago. Bellinger has had ups and downs ever since winning the NL MVP award in 2019, but he was a reliable and productive option for the Yankees with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in 152 games. Bellinger resigned with the Yankees after a long period of negotiations, agreeing to a five-year, $162.5 million contract.

They were also able to re-unite with Trent Grisham, who signed the qualifying offer the Yankees extended to him at the beginning of the offseason. This came as a surprise to many fans and possibly even the organization itself, after Grisham doubled his career-high in home runs with 34 in a breakout offensive season. Many expected him to test the free-agent market, but Grisham decided the best play for this season was to return to the Bronx and make $22 million. Judge, Bellinger, and Grisham combined for 116 home runs in 2025 and all three will be returning to their starting outfield gigs next season.

This is a tough development for Jasson Dominguez, who showed flashes of offensive upside in 123 games during his first real run as an MLB hitter but is still unable to firmly lock in a role in the starting lineup. Dominguez slashed .257/.331/.388 with 10 home runs and 23 stolen bases, but struggled mightily on defense and looked like the elbow surgery he underwent in 2023 might still have been affecting his power output. Grisham and Bellinger returning means Dominguez is the odd man out with Giancarlo Stanton permanently locked into the DH role, and his name has been floated in trade rumors although returning in a bench role appears to be the most likely immediate outcome. It’s fair to say his future as a Yankee is in limbo.

With so much competition in the outfield at the big-league level, it’s unlikely that any outfielders currently in the minor leagues find their way to the Bronx this season. This leaves the organization with another question to answer about the most polarizing prospect in the minor-leagues: Spencer Jones. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound Jones was drafted out of Vanderbilt in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft and features jaw-dropping raw power alongside as much swing-and-miss risk as you could possibly imagine. Jones spent his age-24 season between Double-A and Triple-A, recording 35 home runs and 29 steals in 116 games and striking out 35.4 percent of the time between the two levels. Jones will turn 25 in May and needs to at least get a chance at the big leagues sometime soon.

If you think this sounds eerily similar to the trajectory Aaron Judge followed at the start of his career, you’re not alone. It’s why the organization is still so high on his potential despite all the red flags. However, the consensus around analysts is that Jones is a fringe top-100 prospect and not everyone thinks he’ll be able to produce at the big-league level at all. It is the definition of a high-ceiling, low-floor outcome. The Yankees will have to make a decision about him soon.

Outside of Jones, the Yankees don’t have many notable prospects in the outfield and the ones they do have are far away from being in the conversation for big-league at-bats. They signed Seth Brown, who put up two 20-homer seasons with the Athletics in 2021-22, to a minor league contract and will likely start him in Scranton. The 25-year-old Kenedy Corona, who played his first three MLB games with Houston last year before signing with the Yankees, should join him.

The outfield in Double-A Somerset should be led by Jackson Castillo and Jace Avina, both of whom were consistent contributors deep in the organization last season. Castillo put up slightly above-average numbers with High-A Hudson Valley before struggling a bit after earning a promotion to Somerset. Avina followed a similar path. He tore up High-A pitching with a 168 wRC+ and eight home runs in 52 games, but came back down to Earth in 46 games in Double-A. Both players should stay in Somerset for most, if not all of the year.

There’s a larger crop of outfielders competing for spots in High-A and Low-A, a few of whom saw their stocks rise in 2025 and cracked MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 organizational prospects list to close 2025. The prospect who could be an immediate option at these levels is Wilson Rodriguez, who made his stateside debut in 2025 and adjusted nicely to Low-A pitching. At 21 years old, they may try to see what he can do in Hudson Valley before too long. Tyler Wilson and Joe Delossantos, both mid-round picks from the 2024 MLB Draft, struggled in their small samples with the High-A club but could be due for more playing time with Hudson Valley in 2026.

Richie Bonomolo Jr, the Yankees’ seventh round pick from the most recent MLB Draft, also struggled in his first sample against professional pitching but should remain a contributor in Low-A for the time being. Also in the mix for at-bats should be a few players looking to make their stateside debuts after spending 2025 in the Complex League. Brando Mayea was one of the more promising acquisitions in the 2023 international free-agent class, and despite struggling with injuries last season he put up a 137 wRC+ in his second year in the Complex. He should be due to start the season at Low-A assuming his health is in good shape. The same goes for Gabriel Lara, who spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and last year in the Complex league.

The most notable name among the Yankees’ rookie-ball outfielders is Francisco Vilorio, the only other outfielder to rank among MLB Pipeline’s most recent Top 30 in the organization. Vilorio was part of the team’s 2024 IFA class and has spent the past two seasons in the DSL. He hasn’t been able to access much game power (he didn’t homer once in 2025), but his profile is based around his ability to grow into more consistent hard contact. FanGraphs is particularly bullish on Vilorio’s raw power, projecting him to develop it into a 70-grade tool. He should be bumped up to the Complex to start 2026.

The Yankees’ system is top-heavy at a lot of positions entering the 2026 season, but particularly so in the outfield. The star power in the starting lineup should be the team’s main source of offensive firepower, health-permitting, and the two names to know outside of the starters are Dominguez and Jones. How the team deploys those two, either on the field or in trades, will be a major storyline to watch moving forward. Aside from those either at or approaching the big-league level, the outfield depth in the organization won’t make too many headlines in 2026. If the team adds a new outfielder at any time soon, it will almost certainly be a player brought in from another organization.

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Tigers Topics: Do you want a Detroit regional sports network or not?

Hundreds of fans stand for the Pledge of Allegiance before the start of the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, April 4, 2025. | David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sports Business Journal reported on Monday afternoon that the Detroit Tigers, along with nine other major league teams, have cut ties with Main Street Sports, the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network. Of those nine, the Atlanta Braves are currently the only club planning to start their own regional sports network (RSN).

Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal reported that the Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Rays, are all leaving FanDuel Sports Network.

All of them other than the Braves are expected to move to MLB, where games will be streamed on MLB TV or the MLB app with a subscription. The terms of such a subscription remain to be seen. Will your normal MLB TV subscription that comes with blackouts of home games simply remove the blackouts? Or will it take a specific “home team” subscription? We have questions, and Grapefruit League action is only a few weeks away.

Of course, teams have seen this coming, so hopefully most of the planning is already arranged. The Tigers, who canceled their previous contract with Main Street back on January 8, have notably hired radio and tv play-by-play announcers Dan Dickerson and Jason Benetti as team employees. That moves was in anticipation of something like this happenign, and so their status was kept separate from the regional sports networks. The broadcasts should at least sound and look basically the same in whatever format is arranged.

However, unlike most MLB clubs, the Tigers ownership also owns and operates the Detroit Red Wings, so there’s always been talk of simply putting together a Detroit sports RSN on their own and bringing the Pistons along as well if Tom Gores is on board.

For now, Friend reports that the Tigers are going to MLB media to produce their broadcasts and stream games, and like the other clubs excluding the Braves, will look for local distributors to keep games on local cable packages. So for 2026 we’re going to have to adapt to that. But beyond the Pistons’ and Red Wings’ current broadcast contracts there may be an opportunity to develop a Detroit sports network. Currently this seems like the unlikely outcome of the two long-term, so if people want it they better make their feelings known.

Meanwhile, sources said NBA and NHL teams are in a business-as-usual holding pattern, with the sense that Main Street still plans to air their games the rest of the regular season and simultaneously attempt to negotiate deals beyond this year. A resolution with those leagues is expected to play out over the next two weeks.

At the same time, sources said those NBA and NHL teams did not receive their recent February rights fee payments on Sunday, and it is unclear whether future payments will be reduced by 20% or more — or even arrive at all.

Either way, we’re unlikely to be consulted, so you might as well have your say here. Considering the number of sports fans and the prices of streaming services, I personally haven’t been able to unpack why Diamond Sports and now Main Street Sport Group, can’t get their act together, regardless of declining ad revenues. Maybe a different company could create a more viable RSN. Maybe the Detroit teams doing it together would work out. Or, maybe the simplest solution is to simply let each team handle its own broadcast, stream games themselves, and try to do better by being able to customize everything to their individual markets.

What’s your preference for sports going forward? Would you prefer to simply buy yearly broadcast subscription through the individual teams you follow on their websites/apps? Or do you follow all three teams and prefer an Ilitch/Gores fusion to create a Detroit sports RSN covering all three sports to simplify things?

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Chicago Cubs news and notes — Happ, Hoerner, Jenkins, Steele

The news keeps checking in on the checking in and so we continue to await with bated breath while the machinery spins. The Giants no longer need a second baseman and so the Red Sox are the only destination to hang speculation on.

Smart money says Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw stay put but there’s always that slim chance of the experts being wrong.

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Food For Thought:

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Weekly Cupcakes: MacKinnon first to hit 40 goals this season

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 31: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates up ice against the Detroit Red Wings. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images


Colorado Avalanche News

  • Colorado Avalanche teams up with “Dungeon Crawler Carl” author Matt Dinniman to support cat rescue. [CBS News]
  • MacKinnon scores twice to become first 40-goal scorer of season, Avalanche blank Red Wings. [TSN]
  • There’s still something special about Canadiens-Avalanche games. While broadcasters love to babble about NHL “rivalry” games these days, the Habs-Nordiques clashes provided unmatched drama. [Montreal Gazette]
  • Ottawa Senators topple first-overall Colorado Avalanche with a 5-2 victory. [Ottawa Citizen]

News Around the League

  • Will Canada regret not taking Evan Bouchard? [Sportsnet]
  • Lightning owner to miss outdoor game with ‘major leg fracture’. [USA Today]
  • Ullmark overcomes emotions, Devils in winning return for Senators. [CBC]
  • Ice hockey venue will not be ready for start of Olympics. [BBC]
  • 2026 U.S. Winter Olympics Hockey Roster: Why The NHL’s Top American Scorers Missed The Cut. [Forbes]
  • Lightning’s Hagel scores 11 seconds into outdoor game, a record. [ESPN]
  • Every NHL player participating in 2026 Winter Olympics. [Sports Illustrated]
  • Olympics to help satisfy international appetite for hockey best-on-best. [NHLPA]
  • Olympic ice hockey vs. NHL rules: How are they different? [NBC LA]
  • Lack of Quebec-born NHL stars, Olympians mystifies Marc-André Fleury”It’s a little sad,” retired goaltending star and two-time Stanley Cup champion says of his province’s hockey pipeline running dry. [Montreal Gazette]

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Better know your Blue Jays 40-man: Yimi García

TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 30: Yimi García #93 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre on April 30, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yimi García is a 35-year-old, right-handed relief pitcher.

The Blue Jays signed him to a two-year contract before the 2022 season, but then traded him to the Mariners in July of 2024, getting Jacob Sharp, a minor league catcher who hit .161/.271/.206 for the Fisher Cats last year, and Jonatan Clase, who we talked about a few days ago.

Then, the Jays signed him as a free agent again, in December of 2024, giving him $7.5 million a year for two years.

2025 didn’t go well for him. He went on the IL with right-shoulder impingement at the end of May, returned to the team on July 2nd, and then went on the IL again on July 5th, missing the rest of the season.

In the moments he was on the active roster, he pitched in 22 games, with a 3.86 ERA, 3 saves and 6 holds (he has 58 in his time with the Jays, and 90 in his career).

Yimi is one of those rare relievers who throws a lot of pitches. In 2024 he threw six pitcher:

  • Four Seamer: 37.3% of the time, 96.5 mph.
  • Curve: 19.5%
  • Sinker: 15.8%, 95.8 mph.
  • Sweeper: 13.1%
  • Changeup: 9.5%.
  • Slider: 4.7 %

It seems like a lot of pitches for a guy who has only made one start in his career. Generally, relievers (and their pitching coaches) will pick their two or three pitches most effective pitches and go with those. By wOBA, the Sweeper was his most effective pitch in 2024, in 2025 it was the curve.

Yimi was as good against lefty batters (.162/.279/.270) as righties (.179/.304/.256). In his career he’s been a fair bit better against RHB (.620 OPS, vs .719).

Steamer doesn’t think Yimi’s injury issues are going to carry over to 2026. It expects Garcia to pitch in 60 games, with a 3.60 ERA, 4 saves and 11 holds.

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Speedskater Erin Jackson, bobsledder Frank Del Duca picked as US flagbearers for Winter Olympics

NEW YORK (AP) — Speedskater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca have been chosen as the U.S. flagbearers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

Jackson, 33, is the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Games. Del Duca, a 34-year-old Army sergeant, is the first bobsledder in 70 years to carry the flag into an opening ceremony.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced the names on Tuesday. It's the third Olympics for Jackson, the second for Del Duca.

“Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said. “It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual — it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”

Del Duca, with deep Italian roots, finds the opportunity especially meaningful as the games are in Italy. The opening ceremony will be unique, with events spread across several Italian cities.

U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor was picked to carry the American flag into the opening ceremony at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but tested positive for COVID-19 — forcing the postponement of her flag-carrying chance until the closing ceremony of those Winter Games. She was replaced at the Beijing opening by speedskater Brittany Bowe, and this time, it’s Jackson’s turn to have that moment.

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Columbus Blue Jackets (61 pts) vs. New Jersey Devils (58 pts) Game Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the New Jersey Devils tonight at 7 PM. 

New Jersey Devils - 28-25-2 - 49 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 7th in the Central

Columbus Blue Jackets - 27-20-7 - 61 Points - 9-1-0 in the last 10 - Won 5 - 4th in the Metro.

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

  • Columbus has won a season-high five-straight games, as well as nine of its past 10 games overall, while outscoring opponents 39-26 since Jan. 11 following its 5-3 victory at St. Louis on Saturday.
  • CBJ lead the NHL in points pct. (.900) and rank fifth in goals for/game (tied, 3.90), team save percentage (tied, .909) and power play pct. (30.4) as well as sixth in goals-against/game (2.60) over that stretch.
  • The Blue Jackets finished 10-4-1 (21 pts) in January, tying for the most wins (2014, 2025) and points (2025) in the month in club history.
  • The club has scored the opening goal in eight of the past 10 games and has scored the first goal in 32 contests, tied or third-most in the NHL in 2025-26.
  • Columbus leads the NHL in goals by defensemen and ranks fourth in points with 41-97-138 in 54 contests.
  • CBJ play their 11th of 16 back-to-back sets of the season (12-5-3 .675 pts. pct;) at New Jersey and vs. Chicago.

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

  • Charlie Coyle has notched 9-5-14 in the last 10 contests and ranks second-T in the NHL in goals since Jan. 11. He has 15 goals, 24 assists, and 39 points.
  • Adam Fantilli has collected points in three of the last four contests (1-4-5) and is one assist shy of tying his single-season career high (23, 2024-25). He has 13 goals, 22 assists, and 35 points.
  • Jet Greaves (5-0-0, 2.47 GAA, .914 SV%) and G Elvis Merzlikins (4-1-0, 2.49 GAA, .910 SV%) have each won four games for the Blue Jackets since Jan. 11.
  • Kirill Marchenko has points in four-straight games (1-4-5) and is tied for the team lead in scoring since Dec. 22, while recording points in 15 of the last 19 contests (9-11-20). He has 19 goals, 27 assists, and 46 points.
  • Zach Werenski posted the second-most assists and points by a Blue Jacket in a single month (Panarin, 8-17-25, Mar. 2018) with 5-15-20 in 15 games in January. He leads NHL blueliners in goals (tied, 19), points (60), multi-point efforts (20), points-per-game (1.20), even strength goals (16), even strength points (44) and shots on goal (179) this season. He leads all Blue Jackets in goals, assists, and points.

Blue Jackets Stats

  • Power Play - 20.1% - 17th in the NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 76.5% - 28th in the NHL
  • Goals For - 167 - 18th in the NHL
  • Goals Against - 176 - 22nd in the NHL   

Devils Stats

  • Power Play - 21.4% - 14th in the NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 78.6% - 20th in the NHL
  • Goals For - 142 - 28th in the NHL
  • Goals Against - 169 - 16th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheDevils

  • Columbus is 30-23-1-3 all-time, and 13-10-1-3 on the road in New Jersey.
  • The Blue Jackets are 3-9-1 in the last 13 games vs. the Devils.
  • The Jackets are 1-2-0 against New Jersey this season.
  • The road team has won the first three meetings of the 2025-26 series and has earned points in eight of last 10 matchups (7-2-1).
  • The winning team has recorded four or more goals in 10 of the last 15 meetings overall since Jan. 8, 2022, and five of the past six at Prudential Center since Oct. 30, 2022.
  • The teams have combined for seven or more goals in each of the past three contests at New Jersey.
  • The teams have combined for 65 shots or less in seven of the last nine matchups overall.

Who To Watch For TheDevils

  • Nico Hischier leads the Devils with 18 goals and 41 points.
  • Jesper Bratt leads NJ with 27 assists.
  • Goalie Jacob Markstrom is 15-12-1 with a SV% of .881.
  • Jake Allen is 12-13-1 with a SV% of .907.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Devils

  • Zach Werenski has 11 points in 26 career games vs. the Devils.
  • Sean Monahan has 27 points in 22 games.
  • Charlie Coyle has 13 points in 37 games against New Jersey.

Injured Reserve

  • Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 16 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 151

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.  

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Which Mets player could surprise us with a 3-4 win season?

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 18: Francisco Alvarez #4 of the New York Mets looks on from the dugout during the game between the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.

Which Mets player could surprise us with a 3-4 win season?

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Canadiens Escape Minnesota With A Point

The Montreal Canadiens were taking on the Minnesota Wild on Monday night in what promised to be a tough task. Both teams were 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and had won their previous three matches. Montreal was seventh in the league while Minnesota was fourth prior to puck drop, but the Wild had been the Canadiens’ pet peeve for a long time, before the Habs finally managed to beat them less than two weeks ago in Montreal.

For a fourth game in a row, Martin St-Louis gave the net to Jakub Dobes, who had won his last six games and was undefeated in regulation in his last nine games. The Czech netminder had played a massive role in the Canadiens’ last three wins, being named the second star of the game in each one.

Former Canadiens First-Rounder Is Heating Up
Goalie Fight A Rare Feat In Montreal Canadiens History
How The Canadiens Chose Their Game Prize

Good Old Gallagher

While some are eager to point out that Brendan Gallagher doesn’t produce as much as he once did and that he gets hunched over on his stick much faster than he did in the past, there’s one thing that has never changed throughout the right wing’s career: his level of effort and dedication. On Monday night, the Alberta native was playing in the 890th game of his career with the Habs, and he decided to celebrate in style.

After the Wild had taken a 2-0 lead in the first frame, Gallagher found himself with the puck high up in the Wild’s zone, and John Hynes’ men didn’t try to close him down. The veteran took the space he was given and used it to beat both Quinn Hughes and Jonas Gustavsson, scoring a beautiful backhand goal, much like Jake Evans’ game-winning goal against the Vegas Golden Knights.

If you don’t respect Gallagher, he will hurt you. That goal gave the Canadiens a much-needed spark and was the first of three unanswered goals by the Habs. The 33-year-old doesn’t panic when his team is down; he keeps on working, grinding away. His combativity is second to none, and that’s the main reason why the coaching staff will hesitate to scratch him. He might have been a fifth-round pick, but his work ethic, effort, and dedication have always been first-class. The goal was point number 480 for Gallagher, who now trails Bobby Smith by two points for the 26th highest scorer in franchise history.

Timely Goals

The Canadiens’ first two goals were scored with less than a minute to go in the first two frames, the kind of goals that are an absolute gut-punch to the opposition. Too often this season, the Habs have given up an early goal that has taken their legs right from under them, and when the Wild scored 38 seconds in, some wondered if the early goal would send them down to the mat, but they got back up.

Better yet, after the Wild dominated the second frame, Montreal scored another late-period goal through Ivan Demidov on an exquisite Lane Hutson cross-zone pass and then followed it up with its own early goal to take its first lead of the game. It took Kirby Dach 12 seconds from the start of the period to get the puck past Gustavsson.

In the end, though, it was the Wild who scored the ultimate timely goal, with the overtime game-winner. While the Canadiens would have liked to see a penalty called on the play, Joel Eriksson-Ek was just standing his ground, and Nick Suzuki collided with him because he didn’t see him, so that wasn’t interference.

With this 4-3 overtime defeat, the Canadiens leave Minnesota with one point and remain in third place in the Atlantic division, one point ahead of the Buffalo Sabres, who beat the Florida Panthers on Monday night to keep the pressure on the Habs. It also means that the Panthers are now nine points out of a playoff spot, just like the Toronto Maple Leafs. As for the Ottawa Senators, they are now trailing the Boston Bruins by seven points, but they have a game in hand. Montreal now has roughly an 80% chance of making the spring dance and finds itself in a much more comfortable position than it was last season when the league entered the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

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Sam Bennett Suffers Upper-Body Injury, Joins List Of Injured Panthers As Playoff Hopes Continue Slipping Away

When it rains, it pours.

That’s been the feeling around the Florida Panthers this season as the injury issues continue to pile up.

Already missing key forwards Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell, the Panthers saw another one of their vital pieces come out of a game with an injury.

Center Sam Bennett left Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres after the first period and did not return.

“It seems like somebody is getting injured every night,” said Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. “I feel for him, that’s not ideal going out with an injury that early (in the game).”

He played seven shifts during the first period, logging 5:11 of ice time and going 2-for-4 in the faceoff circle.

Afterwards, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice did not have much of an update on Bennett’s injury.

“We’ll just leave it as upper-body,” Maurice said. “We’ll get a better handle on it tomorrow.”

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Maurice has given similar evaluations for many of Florida’s injured players this season.

The good news is that the NHL is about to take a league-wide pause during the 2026 Winter Olympics, giving players who aren’t participating a few weeks to rest and heal for the late-season push toward the playoffs.

The bad news is that Florida picked a horrible time to go on a losing streak and have all but fallen out of contention for a playoff spot.

Following Monday’s loss to Buffalo, the Panthers are now nine points behind Boston for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, and they’re 11 points back of Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division, with one game in hand on both.

Florida has played 55 games, meaning they have only 27 remaining to make up all those points.

The next two outings for the Panthers, Wednesday against Boston and Thursday at Tampa Bay, are the only chances the Cats have to make up any ground before the Olympic break.

Adding Bennett to a Florida injured list that doesn’t seem to want to get any smaller is just the latest setback for the league’s back-to-back Stanley Cup Champs.

Without Bennett, the Panthers are now down all of their starting centers: Sasha Barkov, Bennett, Lundell and Tomas Nosek. 

Surviving without key injured players is one challenge, but removing all of the center icemen on a team that plays a five-man defensive system like Florida is like trying to skate to the bench after your blade pops off the holder. 

We'll see how things play out in the coming days and weeks, but the Panthers need to start piling up the points before its too late. 

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Photo caption: Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) moves the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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How William Nylander Stole The Show In Maple Leafs' Win Against The Flames

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won back-to-back games for the first time in almost a month.

It wasn't always pretty, especially as the Calgary Flames cut Toronto's lead to one in the second period. But the Maple Leafs held on to beat the Flames 4-2, winning both games against Calgary this season.

Monday’s win was also the Maple Leafs’ first regulation win since Jan. 10.

William Nylander stole the show. Joseph Woll came up massive when they needed him most. And the defense, which was missing Morgan Rielly — who's out until after the Olympic break with an upper-body injury — held up.

With a win on Monday, the Maple Leafs move seven points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot. They'll play their final game before the break on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers.

But first, let's discuss the game that was, between the Maple Leafs and Flames:

The William Nylander show

There wasn't a better play on the ice than Nylander.

It was the forward's second game back in the Maple Leafs' lineup after reaggravating a groin injury that forced him to miss seven games. He returned on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks and, while he didn't register a point, you could notice glimpses of the Swede returning to full form.

Nylander was in his final form against the Flames. As he always appears to be.

Entering Monday night's game, Nylander had an 11-game point streak against Calgary, the city where he was born. And it didn't take him long to find the 12th straight game with a point.

After John Tavares cut off a pass at Toronto's blue line, he sprang Nylander on a breakaway, with the forward making no mistake. He put it under Dustin Wolf's glove for his 18th goal of the year.

Back at it again was Nylander in the middle frame.

Just over seven minutes in, a loose puck was up for grabs behind Calgary's net. Morgan Frost appeared to have a handle on it before Nylander snuck up from behind, stripping Frost, and finding Matias Maccelli in front for a goal.

It was Nylander's second point of the game and Maccelli's eighth goal (and surprisingly, his first on the road) to put Toronto up 2-0.

And no, Nylander wasn't done there.

After some slick passing from Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, which concluded with a scoring chance for Matthews, the puck popped back out to Nylander. He found Troy Stecher with a great pass, and the defenseman slotted it into the pretty-much wide-open net.

In the third, he hit a post, set up a few scoring chances and, as he was for the entire first and second period, all over the place. Nylander finished with

Joseph Woll is getting a much-needed break

If there's anyone on the Maple Leafs who needs rest, it's Woll — especially after that third period against the Flames alone.

(And sure, the rest of Toronto's players, too.)

But Woll has started in 17 of the Maple Leafs' last 25 games. Zoom in a little further: Woll has been the starting goalie in 13 of the previous 17 games. Only two goaltenders have started in more games than Woll since Dec. 16: the Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros (18) and the Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck (19).

On Monday, there wasn't much the 27-year-old could do on Nazem Kadri's goal, Calgary's first of the game. The former Maple Leafs forward went upstairs on Woll's short side.

Later in the period, after Woll couldn't control a rebound, the Flames' continued offensive pressure created another goal. Kadri, again, was involved; this time, finding Joel Farabee heading to the net.

Kadri's pass went off Farabee's skate and in, making it 3-2 for Toronto.

In the third period, Woll made a few incredible stops. None better than the one later in the game, after the puck took a weird bounce off the glass and went towards the net.

Woll, out of his crease, quickly got on his horse to get back and take a swipe at the puck as it approached the net. Luckily, Woll got his stick on it before Adam Klapka, whose swipe of the puck put it over the net.

Woll finished the game, stopping 28 of 30 shots and picking up his 13th win of the season.

Other takeaways

- Bobby McMann's empty-netter was his 18th goal of the year. He's now two goals shy of his career high in goals and three shy of his career high in points. If Toronto decides to move him before the trade deadline, it could bring them some good assets.

- Troy Stecher came up big for the Maple Leafs. He scored a goal and finished with 20:08 of ice time, the third-most among Toronto's players against the Flames. The defenseman continues to come up big for the club since being picked up on waivers in November.

- Easton Cowan should get into Tuesday's game against the Oilers. Not only is it the second half of a back-to-back, but he's got to play eventually, and what better test than against two of the league's best players? Cowan in for Calle Jarnkrok? Who says no?

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Game Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Islanders 2/3/2026

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-11, 67 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Islanders (30-21-5, 65 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: National broadcast on TNT, streaming on HBO Max

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins have just one game left after tonight, a Thursday road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, before the Olympic break. The team will hope to give everyone, especially Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, some time to rest up before NHL play resumes on Feb. 26 with a home game against the New Jersey Devils.

Opponent Track: Like the Penguins, the Isles are coming into this game on the second part of a back-to-back. While the Penguins were losing to the Ottawa Senators, the Islanders were also looking flat in a Monday night 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

Season Series: The Penguins won the season opener thanks to a third-period goal from Justin Brazeau back during the second game of the season in Pittsburgh on October. 9. The Pens will meet up with the Isles one more time in Elmont on March 30.

Getting to know the Islanders

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal

Emil Heineman – Jonathan Drouin – Simon Holmstrom

Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Anthony Duclair

Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

DEFENSEMEN

Mathew Schaefer / Ryan Pulock

Adam Pelech / Tony DeAngelo

Carson Soucy / Scott Mayfield

Goalies: Ilya Sorokin (starter), David Rittich

Potential scratches: Adam Boqvist, Max Shabanov, Calum Ritchie

Injured Reserve: Kyle Palmieri

  • Jonathan Drouin has spent most of his career as a winger, although the Islanders are currently running him as a center. He has just three goals in 49 games since he signed with the Islanders last summer, and he’s been struggling on the face-off dot as of late (he had a 36.4 percent success rate on the draw last night against the Washington Capitals).
  • The Islanders suffered a second-period collapse last night against the Capitals, blowing a 1-0 lead by allowing two goals in 32 seconds and never recovering.
  • David Rittich started last night (he made 20 saves on 23 shots in the 4-1 loss), putting Ilya Sorokin on track to start against the Pens.

Season stats
via hockeydb

  • The Islanders’ power play is running at 16 percent this season, ranking them down at for 26th in the NHL.
  • Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been a driving force behind the Isles’ climb back into the playoff picture this season. He has 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games of his first NHL season, the third-most points among rookies and sixth-most goals among all defensemen.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Brett Kulak / Ryan Shea

Ilya Solovyov / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Rutger McGroarty

IR: Kris Letang (broken foot, out at least four weeks), Ryan Graves, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones, Jack St. Ivany

  • Bryan Rust should be back in the lineup tonight after serving out the final game of his three-game suspension on Monday. That could bump Rutger McGroarty back out of the lineup.
  • The Pens are looking to bounce back from a flat loss to the Senators on Monday night. Head coach Dan Muse called the Penguins’ performance last night “far off the mark” from where the team has been lately:
  • Especially notable last night was continued struggles by Evgeni Malkin, who is seemingly playing hurt and who committed three official giveaways, and the Penguins’ top line. The Justin Brazeau/Sidney Crosby/Rickard Rakell trio earned the fewest expected goals for of any line the Penguins iced last night, per MoneyPuck. The Pens will hope the return of Bryan Rust can spark something there by re-shuffling the lines.
  • Arturs Silovs played in the defeat, so Stuart Skinner will likely be expected to get the nod against the Isles.
  • Last night was the first time the Pens have finished a game without a point since a Jan. 11 shutout loss to the Boston Bruins.
  • The Penguins currently have two points and two games in hand on the Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division, so a win tonight could be key down the stretch of the playoff race.
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Introducing our newest Brew Crew Ball staff member

Dave Gasper, Contributor

Hey everyone, my name is Dave Gasper and I’m incredibly excited to be joining the staff at Brew Crew Ball ahead of the 2026 season. Prior to this, I spent seven years as the Editor-in-Chief over at Reviewing the Brew, covering the team from the 2018 run to Game 7 of the NLCS through so many more moments that this team has made over the years. I’ve always strived to be a trusted voice on the Milwaukee Brewers, bringing in-depth analysis from my knowledge of the game and passion for this organization.

You may also know me from my work on what was formerly 97.3 FM The Game here in Milwaukee and state-wide on The Game Radio Network of stations. There I was the producer of No BS with Billy and Armen and then co-host and producer of D.N.D. in the mid-days.

Growing up, going to Brewers games with my dad, my Brewers fandom started in the lean years of the early 2000s, watching Richie Sexson and Geoff Jenkins be the best players on some really bad teams, losing 100 games a year. That’s made this run of success the team has had over the last several years that much more enjoyable not only to watch but to be able to cover as a member of the media.

I’m excited to bring you content going inside the Brewers clubhouse as well as diving into the farm system and providing my prospect rankings.

I’ve covered this team and been in the clubhouse through a couple of champagne celebrations already the last few years and hopefully there are a couple more champagne celebrations this year.